The Tales of Eva and Emrys: Season one
by cooldragon87
Summary: While growing up, Merlin is not alone. Hunith, before she has Merlin, adopts a young girl called Sapphire into her home. Both Sapphire and Merlin have magic and are found out by their best friend Will. Hunith sends them to Camelot where they will learn magic from their Uncle Gaius and learn from the Great Dragon that they have a destiny: to protect Arthur Pendragon.
1. The Dragon's Call: Arriving at Camelot

The tales of Eva and Emrys

Notice:

The actress I picture to look like Sapphire is Sophia Myles.

If there is anything spoken in the mind between sorcerers then it will be shown in italics.

If there are any scenes shown in the future or past they will be shown between two markers (~~) and will be written in italics.

If there is a change in scene it will be shown by ~MAS~ (Merlin and Sapphire).

The Dragon's Call: Arriving in Camelot

"No young man or woman, no matter how great, can know their destiny. They cannot glimpse their part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, they must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock and witch arriving at the gates of Camelot. A boy that will, in time, father the legend. And a girl that will in time conquer the Old Religion. Their names: Merlin and Sapphire."

~MAS~

I suppose I should give a bit of a background about myself before I start my story off at the beginning, where everything changed.

My name is Sapphire, best friend since birth of Merlin, son of Hunith. I had the lightest blonde hair that fell down to my waist in small waves, I had sapphire blue eyes (Hunith says I was probably named after them) and I was a tall 5ft five inches and slim, though I did not have a slim sporty type of build.

We live in a small, and in my opinion, beautiful village of Ealdor which is situated on the edge of King Cenred's land and near the border for Camelot.

Now, you're probably wondering why two young village children, Merlin being nineteen and I being twenty years of age, are important in any story. We have magic, always have. We've had it since we were born. Of course, we didn't know that we had magic till we were told by Hunith when we were old enough to understand magic and the consequences of having and using it.

For you see, many people were either afraid of magic or despised it and so executed those with the gift.

Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot, is one such example of a great hater of magic. The King executes anyone attacking Camelot with magic as well as people who just have it. That hate and fear of magic spread to some of his people as well as their fear and respect for him as they did not wish to be killed. Despite his hate for all things magic the King was still a great leader.

Our story starts on a Sunday, a very simple Sunday like any other for the villagers but not for me and Merlin.

You see, we did the same chores as every other day. We woke up, got fresh water from the well for breakfast and had some porridge. I cleaned the house while Hunith tended to her garden, Merlin helped the men in the fields and then I would collect wood from the forest while it was all dry for tonight.

I had put on my most worn peasant dress. The main dress was white while the bodice was a dark blue.

I was just coming out of the forest edge when I tripped on a root. I wasn't looking properly as I was waving to Merlin who was coming towards me with my left hand. You'll find that both Merlin and I are quite clumsy, him more than me though.

I saw his eyes changed to a bright gold like mine do, signalling that he's using magic. I stop falling a few metres before I hit the ground. He runs over to me and before I hit the ground he catches me and pulls me upright once he let goes of his magic.

"Thanks, Merlin."

"No problem, Sapphy."

We were always tripping up over branches on the ground, even over our own two feet.

Then I notice that all the twigs I had just picked up had fallen to the ground.

"Oh great, all the branches have fallen to the ground. I can't be bothered to pick them all up again." Merlin and I are quite lazy sometimes.

I look at the branches and they all lift up into the air as I use my magic, where Merlin and I then share the branches between us. A gasp and a crack of a twig startles us into looking ahead of us. William, or Will, our only friend stood there with a shocked expression on his face.

Merlin and I looked at each other in fear. I could fell my heart pounding against my ribs because of my strong emotions of fear and worry. We're going to be found out. Well, we've already been found out. We need to leave. It seemed Merlin had the same idea as we dropped the branches, grabbed each others hand and took of running to our house to tell Hunith the bad news.

We burst inside to see Hunith preparing dinner but she jumped and turned to us when we entered. I'm sure that there would have been a reproach had we not interrupted.

"Mother! We didn't mean to!"

"Honestly, we didn't, but I tripped over at the edge of the forest and Merlin used magic to stop me from tripping."

"Then Sapphy used magic to pick all the branches she'd dropped but we were found out. It was Will who saw us. We didn't know what to do so we came straight here."

Hunith had a look of shock on her face before panic set in. "Well, then you need to leave. I'll pack some food for you and send a letter to your Uncle Gaius in Camelot. He'll look after you and you'll be safe as I don't think the king will think to look for sorcerer's that will live in his own castle." Gaius was her older brother and the Court Physician in Camelot, as well as an old practitioner of magic. If any one will be able to look after and teach these two anything about magic then it will be Gaius. She knows he won't hand them into the king. She's taught them a lot to get by in life: she's taught them how to read and write and she's taught them how to be have accordingly to a situation with Royalty as she used to live in the castle as her husband new Uther when he was defiantly alive. She wasn't sure if he was still alive or not since he left Ealdor to go into hiding.

"We don't want to leave, mother." How could he leave her, Merlin thought to him self sadly. He's lived with her all his life and she's taught him all he knows. It won't be the same without his mother by his side.

"Yeah, why can't we stay here? I'm sure if we talk to Will he won't tell anyone."

"We can't take that chance," she told us, putting a hand on each of our shoulders. "Now, off you go pack."

I didn't take us long to pack. Hunith had sent off a note to Gaius informing him that we were coming but then also wrote a letter explaining what happened in more detail that we would give him on our arrival.

We ate dinner before Hunith told us it was better to head off now to make it to Camelot by Wednesday.

As it was time to leave we waited by the doors to say goodbye to Hunith.

"Now, my son, you got everything you need. Blankets, food, clothes?!"

"We've got everything, mother."

"You be careful," she warned him before drawing him into a big hug.

She moved off to me next, it all sort of hit me then that we were leaving and tears made there way down my cheeks. "I don't want to go, Hunith."

"Oh, my dear, I would rather you go and be kept safe than for you to be put in danger. Look after him for me." Hunith knew I was the more responsible one to look out for the two of us.

"I would rather die then let you or Merlin get hurt or die."

"Know that I am so proud of you both. Be safe," she says before hugging us both tightly. she was going to miss her children very much but at least she knew, or hoped they would be safe in Camelot. She did trust Will but the less he knew the better because if he did end up betraying them then he won't be able to tell them much.

~MAS~

We had walked quite far into the night before we settled down in a forest and woke up early the next morning. Or rather I woke up early, made breakfast which was just some fruit for us to munch on as we carried on walking before I woke Merlin up.

It took us two whole days and a half of the next before we finally caught our first sight of Camelot. Hunith had given us directions to the castle though we did end up getting lost once since we haven't been this far from Ealdor or have travelled to Camelot before. It was a beautiful sight to see.

The castle is huge and constructed of white brick. It has several tall towers that allow you to see the castle at a distance rising over the surrounding trees. The white brick allows the castle to shine when the morning sun hits the towers and glass windows.

From there it doesn't take us long to reach the entrance to the city gates and travel across a small drawbridge into the Lower Town for the first time. It's amazing to see the villagers going on with their daily lives. I could see people selling bread, fruit, cloth and many other necessities. I could see children running around playing while their parents happily watched them.

That momentarily made me sad as it reminded me that I never new my parents growing up, I only had Hunith and Merlin for company. When I was younger I used to call Hunith my mother till I was old to be told that I wasn't her daughter and was instead adopted into their family. You would have thought that I'd be angry that she didn't tell me and that my parents didn't want me but I was just glad that someone took enough of a liking to me as to take care of me and let me into their home.

I seemed Merlin could tell I was sad as he nudged me to get me to looked up at him. _"Hey, cheer up, Saph. You now you can always rely on me and my mother to look after you,"_ he spoke into my mind. It seemed as long as we could remember we could talk to each other in our minds. Hunith always suspected it was because of our magic.

_"I know. Although, as Hunith said it'll be more likely that I'll protect you."_

_"Ha ha, very funny."_

We walk into the Upper quarter of the city before reaching a drawbridge that we could see led into a very big courtyard. As we walked in it seemed the was a crowd gathering around something in the centre. We got as close as we could to the front of the circle to see the villagers surrounding a block with an axe stuck into the wood and a basket beside the block. I really hope this isn't what I think it is ...

I was cut off by the sound of drums beating slowing and two soldiers bringing forward a man, a villager.

A man's voice made us all jump and turn to face him. He was surrounded by guards with a red cloak on this time and was wearing one himself while also wearing a golden crown. This must be the king. I didn't expect to see him so soon. "Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass." Uther raises his arm, then lowers it as a signal to the executioner. Just before he is executed Thomas looked up and we looked eyes. Even though he was a man resigned to his fate there was a burning fear in his eyes. It froze me in place. Thomas Collins was then beheaded. The villagers gasp while Merlin and I look away, me finally able to breathe.

That could of been us if were not careful_._ I don't understand how Hunith could think that Camelot will be the safest place to hide us. We just saw an execution take place on our first day here.

"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin."

We all start to walk away before an old lady suddenly wails while the villagers draw back as she talks to the king. "There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son! And I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son." How dare he kill my son for just doing magic. What he did was nothing evil unlike the man before me. King Uther did not disserve to be king or have a son of his own. She would get her revenge on him.

She was obviously the man's mother, I thought.

What she last said seemed like a threat though and it seemed Uther did as well as he ordered, "Seize her!" Uther pointed at the woman, but before the soldiers can do anything she chants something while holding a brown pendant. She disappears in a whirl of wind and smoke.

Everyone just disperses after that so we carryon trying to make our way to Gaius's chambers. We make our way over to a corner of the square and Merlin decides to asks the guards where Gaius's chamber are. One of the guards just point behind him to the door he's guarding so we go through and start going up a flight of steps, noticing a sign that says 'Court Physician', before knocking on a slightly open door. We hear no one answer so decide to push the door open and go in.

"Hello," I called out. It didn't seem that Gaius was there. We looked around the room to see science equipment and potions and books all over the place before looking up to see an old man up high on a railing looking at some books.

Merlin cleared his throat to try to get his attention, "hello, Gaius?"

It made him jump causing him to break the wooden railing and start to fall down. Well, we weren't going to let happen. What happened next would be instinctive. Merlin use magic to stop time while I used it to slide his bed over underneath him causing him to land on it just in time.

"What did you just do?!" he got straight back up on his feet before turning to face us.

"Erm," I mean, what were we supposed to say?

"Tell me!"

"We have no idea how that happened," Merlin tried to play it off.

"If anyone had seen that..."

"No that was nothing to do with us," I had to dissuade him from the notion that it was clearly us that had done it.

"I know what it was. I just want to know where you learnt how to do it."

"No where," Merlin replied instantly.

It was true. Why does he presume that we had learnt how to use our magic.

"So how is it that you both know magic?"

"We don't."

"Where did you study?... answer me!" he ordered us angrily

"We've never studied magic or been taught it," I answered, after jumping out of my skin at his shout.

"Are you both lying to me?"

"What do you want us to say?" I asked him, finally exasperated with this interrogation.

"The truth!"

"We were born like this!" Merlin and I shouted at the same time. Growing up together and being best friends will do that to you I suppose. You'll also find that we can finish off the others sentences as well.

"That's impossible! Who are you both?" He released that he never did get their names or why they were here in his chambers. He's pretty sure he's never seen them before in Camelot.

"Oh, erm, we have this letter." Merlin took off his back pack and took out a letter that Hunith said was for Gaius.

"I-I don't have my glasses."

"I'm Merlin."

Gaius's face lit up in recognition and happiness. "Hunith's son?" Apart from when he was born Gaius had never before seen Merlin.

"Yes!" Merlin nodded in response.

"And I'm Sapphire."

"But your both not meant to be here till Wednesday."

"It is Wednesday," I replied hesitantly. That was embarrassing. Old age must really do a number on you.

"Ah, right then, you better put your bag in that room up there Sapphire and you Merlin will be sleeping on a bed near mine in this room."

A little while later, after dinner and once it had gone dark would find Merlin and I looking out of the only small window of my new room. Just marvelling at the sight of Camelot at night with the villagers fires lit and the full moon shining a silver light on the city below. If Camelot was always this beautiful, apart from when executions would take place, then maybe I wouldn't mind living here after all. Especially since Gaius has agreed to take us in and that he hasn't yet turned us over to the king because of our magic. He should have done that to the king he was supposed to be so loyal to but perhaps it was a combination of us saving his life when we first met or being family made him pause.

Inside the main room of Gaius's chamber would find Gaius reading the letter Hunith sent him. He read:

Dear Gaius,

I turn to you for I feel lost and alone. It is every mothers fate to think their children are special, yet I would give my life that Merlin and Sapphire were not so. Ours is a small villagers and they are so clearly at odds with people here that if they were to remain I fear what would become of them. They need a hand to hold a voice to guide, someone that might help them find a purpose for their gifts. I beg of you, if you understand a mothers love for her children keep them safe and may God save you all,

Hunith.

Strange, very strange. Especially that young woman Sapphire, she reminded him so much of the late Queen Ygraine, King Uther's dead wife but he knew it was impossible for the child to be Uther's daughter. The only princess born to Uther and Ygraine disappeared when she was born.

~MAS~

An hour later would find Lady Morgana, a tall woman with long wavy black hair, porcelain skin, green eyes and wearing a long purple dress, looking out a window of what is called the Griffin Landing overlooking the execution block.

She turned slowly as she heard footsteps coming her way, looking over to see King Uther heading towards her.

"Morgana," he called worried.

"Yes."

"What is this? Why are you not joining us at the feast?"

"I just don't think chopping someone's head off is caused for celebration." Uther's feeling of worry evaporated at that. It was now simple exasperation at his ward's behaviour. "That poor mother." She didn't have a clue what she must be feeling right know, having had to loose her beloved son.

"It was simple justice for what he'd done."

"To whom?" she asked, feeling outrageous. "He practiced in magic. He didn't hurt anyone." She was sure that he only practiced, probably to help keep his family alive.

"You were not around twenty years ago, you have no idea what it was like."

"How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?" It's been twenty years. Surely, his hatred of magic will have waned but if anything it's either grown stronger or just hasn't left him.

"When they realise that there is no room for magic in my kingdom," he shouted. "You shall be with me when I greet Lady Helen."

He started to walk away when Morgana protested. "I told you, I want no part of these celebrations."

"I am your guardian. I expect you to do as I ask. If you show me no respect then at least respect our finest singer."

This time he managed to walk away but Morgana got the last words in. "You know the more brutal you are the more enemies you will create." The slam of a door being shut and then silence ended the conversation. Morgana turned to stare out the window once more.

~MAS~

Another hour later after Morgana's and Uther's argument would find that Camelot's guest Lady Helen and her party of Camelot knights had set up camp for the night in a clearing in some woods.

Inside her tent you would find Lady Helen humming while braiding her hair but stopped and gasped when she heard a noise outside her tent.

A shadow started to walk towards the entrance.

"Hello?" she questioned nervously. "Gregory?"

It was indeed Sir Gregory outside and answered her calls by coming slightly in. "Lady Helen."

"Is all well?"

"Yes, ma'am. With luck we should reach Camelot late tomorrow."

"That's good."

"I'll be outside if you need me."

She nodded in agreement and so he left, Lady Helen letting out a breath of relief. It was silly of her for her to think there was something else out there.

A few minutes later though she heard yet another sound and saw another shadow walking towards the entrance. She slowly stood up and gasped as it was revealed to be Mary Collins.

She brought out an effigy and a dagger and stabbed it into the place where the heart would have been, chanting along with it three times. "Ackwele seo magdp. Ackwele seo magdp. Ackwele seo magdp."

Lady Helen chocked her last breathe before falling onto her bed, dead.

Mary sat at her vanity table and brought out a brown necklace from under her dress and said yet another spell. "Ghefrolinz grimptoxin kowata." This time the spell slowly transformed her into Lady Helen but when she looked into a diamond shaped mirror it revealed her as her true self: Mary Collins. She was going to get her revenge on Uther as he killed her son.


	2. The Dragon's Call:Learning about destiny

The Dragon's Call: Learning about destiny

The next morning I wake up late. I stumble into the main room, yawning, to find Merlin in a similar state lifting up some very watery looking porridge before letting it fall back into the bowl.

"I got you both water," Gaius called to us as I sat down next to Merlin at Gaius's small table, looking to see I had the same watery looking porridge as well. "You didn't wash last night."

"Sorry," Merlin and I replied at the same time. We were a bit preoccupied with looking out at the view of Camelot at night.

"Help yourself to breakfast Sapphire."

As Merlin and I were looking at our disgusting looking porridge we didn't notice Gaius intentionally knock over a bucket of water that he had placed on the table but we did notice when it started to fall. We both stood up quickly and Merlin was the one to stop it in mid air using magic. The three of us looked at each other after Gaius gasped before Merlin let the bucket fall.

"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?" Gaius asked us, not being quite as interrogative as yesterday but more curious now.

"We don't know any spells," I said, repeating that from yesterday.

"So what did you do? There must be something." He'd never before seen anything like this in his entire life. Everyone he knew who had magic, including himself had to learn how to use it through spells and incantations.

"It just happens," Merlin replied, I nod in agreement with his statement before he got out a mop and started to clean the mess of water on the floor.

"Well, we better keep you two out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you." He brought out a small brown sack and a potion onto the table. Merlin, hollyhock and feverfew for Lady Percival. Sapphire," he held up the small potion bottle. "This is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil so warn him not to take it all at once."

"Okay," we both agree and started to head out before Gaius handed us two bacon sandwiches. We both took one with a smile of thanks.

"Off you go." Just as we reached the door Gaius called to us once more. "And you two! I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed." Hunith had asked him to look after them both. He wasn't going to let them be killed when they've only just arrived. He needed to warn them of the dangers of using magic here.

We nodded seriously in response to that. We did just see an execution yesterday for someone who was just practicing magic.

Once we reached the courtyard we decided to meet back up here in an our or two explore the city.

I asked directions from a passing knight and headed over there immediately. I knocked on the door and it revealed a squinting old man behind. "Here is your medicine from Gaius." He just held his hand out in one jerky motion and I put it in his hand.

I was about to walk away when I remembered Gaius's warning. "Gaius said 'don't drink it all..." before I could say any more he had popped off the cork and just started gulping it down. He was definitely blind but I also think he was deaf.

It was probably fine for him to do that, I thought as I walked away.

Gaius had us drop off a few more deliveries, then we had lunch. It was another three hours later before Merlin and I could explore the city.

~MAS~

We decided to explore the Upper quarter of the city first and so crossed the drawbridge. As we passed the training grounds we noticed a few villagers were watching what looked like a man, who was actually Prince Arthur Pendragon son of King Uther, bullying his young serving boy who was called Morris.

"Where's the target?" Arthur was asking, what looked like his gang of knights laughing near the walls of the castle.

"There, Sir?" Morris asked.

"It's into the sun?"

"It's not that bright."

"A bit like you, then?" Arthur immediately taunted. He had fun taunting his servants. It showed the people who was the boss around here. He rarely found one that was competent enough for him. The most that's ever lasted was this one and he found he didn't like him.

"I'll put the target on the other end, shall I, sir?" Arthur nods and the boy carries a round archery target towards the wall.

"Teach him a lesson. Go on, boy," one of Arthur's knights called.

"This'll teach him," Arthur called. Arthur then throws a dagger at the target as Morris is still moving it.

"Hey! Hang on!" Morris complained.

"Don't stop!" He ordered. He was definitely having fun.

Morris moves the target a bit more to the left. "Here?" he asked.

"I told you to keep moving," Arthur said in response. He servant was not very good at listening.

As Morris moved again Arthur threw another dagger at the target missing the middle. He throws another dagger as Morris shuffles along, tying not to drop the heavy target.

"Come on! Run!" I really don't like this man, he's beating up a young boy. Though it's strange, I feel strangely protective of him. Though I don't know why anyone would want to be. "Do you want some moving target practice?"

In the end it seems the target is too heavy for Morris as he drops it and it rolls to my feet. I decide to put an end to this and so put my foot on the target so the boy can't pick it up again. "Hey, come on, that's enough."

"What?"

"You've had your fun, my friend."

"Do I know you two?"

"I'm Sapphire and this is Merlin." Merlin held out his hand.

"So I don't know you." He didn't end up shaking Merlin's hand. he was trying to act intimidating. It wasn't working.

"No," Merlin answered.

"Yet you called me 'friend'."

"That was our mistake," I agreed.

"Yes, I think so."

"Yeah," Merlin also agreed. "We've never have a friend who could be such an ass, have we Saph?" he didn't like the way he was treating himself and Saph. He was always protective of her and always will be and he certainly didn't like this guy. He seemed very arrogant and self-centred. He couldn't see himself wanting to be this man's friend. He seemed older than himself though he was sure he was about sapphire's age. He was taller then himself and sapphire by a few inches, he had Sapphire's blonde hair though it was a bit darker and he also had much lighter blue eyes then Sapphy did, they were more a grey blue colour. He also had a very muscular build showing that he trained here a lot, as evidenced by his knife throwing we saw him do earlier, and he was very fit.

"Nope," I agreed, popping the 'p'.

_"Good one Merlin,"_ I called to his mind.

Merlin and I start walking away. We saw no reason to stay. We said what we wanted to say to the blonde man whom I felt strange, protective, almost brotherly feelings for.

Arthur snorted. "Or I two who could be so stupid." We stop walking. "Tell me, Merlin, Sapphire, do either of you know how to walk on your knees?

"No," we both replied.

"Would you like me to help you?"

"I wouldn't if I were you," I boldly answered.

Arthur chuckled. "Why? What are you two going to do to me?"

"You have no idea," Merlin warned.

"Be my guest!" We look around to see people watching us. "Come on. Come on. Come onnnnn!" he taunted.

That did it. Merlin and I took a swig at him but he just twisted our arms behind our backs. Owww, that really hurts. I heard the villagers gasp at our actions and unknown to us Gwenievere, the Lady Morgana's maid, also gasp where she was drying her Lady's bed sheets out of one of the castles windows.

"I'll have you thrown in jail for that," Arthur said.

"Why who do you think you are? The King?"

"No, I'm his son Arthur." Oops. He then kicked our knees from under us, that hurt, before we were grabbed by some knights and taken to the dungeons. They didn't bother to put us in separate cells so Merlin leant me the thin blanket that I would use for the night.

~MAS~

A quarter of an hour later and the sky had gone dark. Mary Collins, now disguised as Lady Helen, rides across the drawbridge and into the Square with her escorts. She looks down at a pudddle and the relection of herself reveals Lady Helen as Mary like with the mirro in the tent the other night. Lady Helen, or Mary, entered the Throne Room to meet Uther, Lady Morgana and her maid and a few court members.

"Lady Helen," Uther stepped forward to greet her, taking her hands and holding them together. "Thank you so much for coming to sing at our celebrations."

"The pleasure's all mine," Lady Helen smiled charmingly.

"How was your journey?"

She sighs and answers,_ "_Oh, the time it took, Sire."

Uther kisses both of her hands.

"Well, it's always worth the wait."

"It will be," she began to fiddle wih her nexklace while Uther continued to shower her with compliments.

~MAS~

The same voice that woke me up yesterday woke me up again today. It kept calling my name.

"Did you hear that?" I asked him.

He nodded and noticed that it sounded as if it was coming from beneath us.

"Merlin... Sapphire ..." It called again.

Merlin moved towards the floor to inspect it but before he could Gaius called for us and entered our cell. "Merlin! Sapphire! You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you two should do is keep your head down, and what do you two do? You both behave like idiots."

"We're sorry," we both replied and we were. we didn't know it was the Prince, though it wouldn't stop us standing up to him in the future. We were sorry because we really didn't want to spend the night in a cell nor do we ever want to again.

"You're lucky. I managed to pull a few strings to get you released."

"We won't forget this," Merlin told him. We were both happy to be free of this cell.

"Well, there is a small price to pay." We both look at Gaius oddly for the tone his voice had taken, it sounded as if he were trying not to laugh.

~MAS~

An hour or so later would find Merlin and I in the stocks in the Lower town, being pelted with rotten fruit and vegetables by children.

"Oh, no," Merlin murmured minutes before we were being pelted.

Gaius laughs as he passes us by.

"Thanks a lot Gaius!" I call to him.

As the children leave to get more rotten fruit and vegetable, we were trying to spit out the pieces that gotten in our mouths when young black girl with very curly dark brown hair and brown eyes approached us. She looked about our age.

"I'm Guinevere," she introduced herself, "but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid." Yes, I'd heard of the Lady Morgana from passing knights who had hardly nothing to say about her execpt her beauty.

"Right. I'm Merlin. and this is my best friend Sapphire." We reach our hands out further out of the stocks to shake hers. "Although, most people just call us Idiot."

"No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave."

"It was stupid," I murmered, thinking about the repercussions of our actions.

"Well, I'm glad you both walked away. You weren't going to beat him."

"Oh, I- I can beat him," Merlin said.

"You think? Because you don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows."

"Thanks," well, he difinately loooked and sounded insulted.

"No! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look."

I snorted at that, "believe me Gwen he isn't."

"Saph?!" Now he looked double insulted.

"What, you know it's true."

"What about that time when you twisted your ankle as you got stuck climbing a tree and I had to carry you home so mother could treat it."

"Will helped," I countered. "Remember?"

He just huffed and grumbled to himself.

Gwen was griining at us as we looked up when she sppoke again, us two almost forgetting she was there. That happens a lot when we talk to each other. It's often like we're in our own little worlds when we're together. "It's just, erm... Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men, and... well..."

"What?"

"You really don't look like that."

He motioned for her to move closer after making a show to see if anyone was listening_. "_I'm in disguise," he was referring to his magic though Gwen didn't know that. He really was insulted though that both Sapphy and what seemed like there new friend Gwen both thought him to be so weak. It hurt his pride.

She laughed and steps back_._ "Well, it's great you two stood up to him."

"What? You think so?"

"Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you guys were real heros."

"Oh, yeah?"

She nods. "Thanks Gwen," she definately made my day better, especially after being in the cells for the night and then being pelted with fruit the next day.

The children then return with more rotten fruit.

"Oh, excuse us, Guinevere. Ours fans are waiting." We waved to her as she ran past before we were being pelted again.

~MAS~

Merlin and I sit down to eat. I already had a shower but merlin was still pulling pieces of rotten fruit out of his messy dark brown hair.

"Do you want some vegetables with that?" Gaius asks us, refering to our soup on the table.

Merlin snorted, "I know you're still angry with us."

"Your mother asked me to look after you two."

"Yes."

"What did your mother say to you two about your gifts?"

"That we were special." She didn't really say anything else. It was probably because she didn't know anything else

"You are special. The likes of which I have never seen before."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, maybe now we can learn about our magic.

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was... elemental, instinctive."

"What's the point if it can't be used?" Merlin asked him. It's seems that we won't be able to use it as much as we thought we were going to since we found out magic is banned here. I wonder how we're supposed to learn it now.

"That I do not know. You Merlin, Sapphire are a question that has never been posed before." Gaius had never seen anything like these two before and he was pretty sure he'd never heard of this in long times past either.

"Did you ever study magic?" I asked Gaius, thinking that because it looked like he knew a lot about it that maybye he learnt it.

"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago."

"Why?" we both asked, very alarmed. we didn't knew magic was banned till we came here. We knew people didn't like or trust it but not anything else.

"People used magic for the wrong end at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons."

"What? All of them?" Merlin questioned.

"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it. Now, eat up. When you've finished Sapphire, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice." Maybe it was this dragon that was calling for us both since the old, ancient sounding voice sounded like it was from beneath us.

I walk up Spiral Stairway across the Balcony Corridor and enter Lady Helen's guest chamber to find it empty. I decide to put the potion bottle on the vanity table but notice an effigy and a special, fancy book that I couldn't seem to open. I hears someone coming, guessing the Lady herself and put the book down, trying to cover up the evidence that I was snooping.

"What are you doing in here?" Lady Helen asked, making me jump and turn around.

"Gaius, the Court Physician asked me to deliver this," I grabbed the potion and handed it to her. "He said it should help with your voice". As I moved towards her I noticed the curtain that was hanging on her mirror had slipped and I could see her reflection for a second: it was not Lady Helen that I saw. In fact it looked an awful lot like Mary Collins. She smiled uncertainly when she took the potion and I left. Getting a bad feeling off her and the contents in her room. I decided not to tell either Gaius or Merlin. For one thing, I wasn't sure if I was imagining things, though Hunith always told me to trust my instincts which were telling me not to trust Lady Helen and that she was dangerous. Another thing was that I wasn't even sure if they or even anyone else would believe me.

~MAS~

I was helping Gaius with creating a potion that he needed stocking up, just mixing and grinding the ingredients while he stirred the cauldron, when we heard a gathering of noises out in the market square. We got up to look out the window to see that Merlin and Arthur were fighting.

We immeadiately went over there, Gaius to probably chatisise him and me to hopefully help him.

We reached down there to see that the fight looked like it was nearing it's end. Arthur was busy trying to get a mace out of two hooks while Merlin was looking pleased with something.

_"What are you looking so pleased about?"_ I asked him, making him jump slightly.

_"I'm winning the fight against Arthur."_

_"I'm not so sure about that."_

_"Why not?"_ before he was knocked down by a broom Arthur had found.

"Merlin!" I ran over to him to help him up but found we were grabbed roughly by guards.

"Wait. Let them go. They may be idiots, but their both a brave one. There's something about you, Merlin, Sapphire. I can't quite put my finger on it," Arthur said before he left.

"How could you be so foolish?!" Gaius immeaditly rounded on Merlin once we entered Gaius's chambers.

"He needed to be taught a lesson."

"Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!"

"What is there to master? We could move objects like that before we could talk!"

"Then, by now, you should know you should both know how to control yourselves!" Gaius was just making us both angry.

"We don't want to! If we can't use magic, what have we got?!" I shouted at Gaius. "We'll just be a nobody, and we always will be. If we can't use magic, we might as well die," this was the last words either of us spoke to Gaius for a while as we both went into our room and slammed the door.

_"Maybe we shouldn't have shouted at Gaius, Merlin,"_ I said to him as we sat down on my bed, me learning on his left shoulder. I was feeling a little guilty for shouting at Gaius. All he was doing was trying to protect us.

_"Well, why wouldn't we? What we said was the truth."_

_"Yes but he is just trying to protect us, like your mother told him to."_

_"I wish mother never sent us to Camelot."_ Nothing but bad things, apart from meeting Gwen, had happened to them since arriving in Camelot.

_"You don't mean that."_

_"Yes, I do."_

I just sighed, I'm sure he would come to resent what he just said someday. Apart from the cells and the stocks I quite liked Camelot so far.

I turn see Gaius enter my chamer after a while carrying a medcal basket.

Gaius sighed and put the medical basket on his knees after he sat down next to Merlin. "Merlin? Take your shirt off."

Merlin removes his shirt, revealing a few bruises and one nasty scratch on his right shoulder blade.

"You don't know why we were born like this, do you?" he asks Gaius.

Gaius replied after a few seconds, "no."

Gaius then tended to Merlin's wounds wounds by cleaning up some of the blood.

"We're not a monster, are we?" I asked him quietly. We sometimes thought we were monsters with most of the villagers and the kids giving us the cold shoulders or the kids taunting us. Most of the time we spent as much time as we could with Hunith in our house or with Will when we became friends.

We know that we both that that we were monsters, we share everything, it was always and will always be us two against the world.

Gaius looks us in the eye_. _"Don't ever think that."

"Then why are we like this?" I ased him, desperate for answers like Merlin was. "Please, we need to know why."

"Maybe there's someone with more knowledge than me."

"If you can't tell us, no one can," Merlin replied, looking down away from Gaius. He was the one who seemed to know the most about magic, especially the only one who was close enough to go to for answers. If not him then there was no one else, there wouldn't be anyone else to ask in a land where magic was banned.

I then saw Gaius pour a potion from his bag into a tiny cup which he offered to Merlin_. _"Take this. It will help with the pain."

Merlin took it and Gaius left. Once Merlin drank it he made a face. _"That was disgusting."_ He did no want to try another one of those or see what his other potions tasted like. They probably tasted the same.

I just laughed back in his mind.

~MAS~

Uther was now dining with Lady Helen in the Council Chamber.

"Will you sing for me tonight?"

"You will have to wait, Sire."

"You will not deny me." He was the King. everyone acquiesced to his every needs/orders.

"I am saving myself for my performance tomorrow," she laughed and he smiled. "Will everyone be there?"

"Who would dare to miss it?" He asked in an astonished voice. He couldn't think of anyone not wanting to miss what was surely going to be one of the most splendid performances he'd ever seen.

"How about your son?"

"Well..." He was one person who might try and miss it, no matter how much he ordered or persuaded him.

"It seems a shame not to have met him." Not that it would matter, she thought, he would die soon anyway.

"That's Arthur." He's almost always out by the training grounds training with the rest of his knights. He always let Arthur be in charge of the knights while he looked after most of the kingdom. Arthur did a few other jobs here and there like going to Council meetings, attending feasts, going on hunts and attending Knighting Ceremonies.

"Poor child," she murmered.

"Hmm?" he didn't quite catch what she said.

"Poor child," she repeated, louder to him. "It can't have been easy to- to grow up without a mother." She had to make that up quickly. It wasn't what she meant for the phrase 'poor child'. She was referring to having to be brought up by this horrid, evil man Uther but soon she would end his suffering.

"No," Uther looked down at his plate sadly.

"Hmm. That bond between mother and son, it's so hard to replace."

"Hasn't been easy."

"I'm sure." She smiles at him and he smiles back, the slightly tense atmosphere dissapating. "Perhaps if you found someone...If you remarried. I'm sure you'd have the pick of any maiden in the kingdom."

"Well, perhaps I'll find love again. But I'm afraid it's too late to replace Arthur's mother."

"Yes. It's certainly too late for Arthur." It definitely was as he was soon going to die by my hand. She had it all planned out.

~MAS~

I'm stil lying awake a few hours later in my bed, everyone else asleep, just waiting for that strange voice to speak.

"Merlin... Sapphire..." there it was. I put on my shawl and entered the main room to see Merlin grabbing his brown jacket. We grinned at each and sneaked out of our chambers, crossing the square.

"Merlin..."

We descend the Wrought Iron Stairway and we see a pair of gaurds sitting at a table playing with a dice.

"How are we going to distract them?" I whisper asked Merlin.

_"Watch and learn Saph,"_ he grinned at me before concentrating on the dice and used his magic to knock it off the table. The guards here are so stupid and easy to control.

_"Ha ha, brilliant."_

He knocked the dice away, the gaurds following till they went around a corner and were out of sight.

I notice it's dark down the tunnel and so grab a torch hanging of the wall and light it with magic before leading the way down the stairs.

"Sapphire... Merlin..." the voice called again. At least we were going in the right direction, I think.

We enter into a huge cage, a river far below us and we couln't see the very top of the cave. In front of us lies a tall peak with stairs winding around it. I think it leads to the platform we are on now as I see some steps off to our left though I can't be sure.

"Merlin, Sapphire," the voice called before it laughed, in fact I think it was a man's voice.

We look around for the owner of the voice but couldn't see anyone or anything.

"Where are you?" We both asked the voice.

A second later a huge brown old Dragon flies to land in front of us onto of the peak. This must have been the Great Dragon Gaius was talking about that was imprisoned. He sure looks old and big enough to be but I can't believe that I'm actually seeing a dragon and that they are real. "I'm here! How small you both are for such a great destiny."

"What destiny?" I asked him, mabye it's him that will give us the answers we want. We've searched for them for so long now.

"Your gift Merlin, Sapphire, was given to you two for a reason."

"So there is a reason," Merlin and I breathed out, very thankful that there was. If there wasn't a reason what was the point of our existence.

The Dragon laughed, "Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion." Great, that's nice to know.

"Right." It seemed Merlin was confused too. what's that got to do with anything.

"But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike," the Dragon continued.

"I don't see what this has to do with us."

"Everything. Without you both, Arthur will never succeed. Without you both, there will be no Albion."

"No. No, you've got this wrong."

"There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't."

"But we're serious!" I protested. "If anyone wants to go and kill him, they can go ahead. In fact, we'll give them a hand." Arthur was such an arrogant prat.

The Dragon laughed again, "None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, Sapphire, and none of us can escape it."

"No. No way. No. No," Merlin disagreed. "There must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot." there is no way either of us could ever want to save him.

"Perhaps it's both of your destines to change that," the Dragon replied before he flew away, higher into the cave till we couldn't see him, seeing a chain following him showing he was chained in here. It made me feel sorry for him though I still felt plenty of irritation at how he wasn't given us very good and clear answers.

"Wait!" I called up to him. "Why can't you tell us more?"

We both huffed, annoyed when he didn't answer us and just decided to go back to bed, going to try to forget this meeting ever happened. It didn't seem too hard as the information was something that we didn't wasn't to hear anyway, which was ending up being very surprising considering we wanted to learn why we both have magic for a long time now.


	3. The Dragon's Call: The start of destiny

The Dragon's Call: The start of destiny

I woke up early the next morning despite having little sleep last night. Then Gaius came in, "Sapphire, I want you to get me some herbs: henbane, wormwood, and sorrel."

"Where is Merlin?" I ask him as I follow him into the main chambers to find that he wasn't there. I was surprised as I knew he wasn't the best at rising at the crack of dawn. I always had to help Hunith make breakfast.

"He's gone to deliver a potion to Morgana. Poor girl's suffering from nightmares." I know the feeling. I wish the meeting Merlin and I had last night was a nightmare.

~MAS~

_"You'll never guess what just happened to me Sapphy,"_ Merlin said to me in my mind after I'd finished getting the herbs to Gaius.

_"Let me guess, you made a fool of yourself in front of the Lady Morgana."_

_"Um, sort of. I went to deliver the potion and she started talking about Arthur. Before I could say I was there and give her the potion she assumed I was Gwen. I had to pretend to be a woman!"_

I laughed. _"Only you would have the gall to do that because I think you are in fact a woman."_

_"Sapphy that hurt. I am a man you know?"_

_You know I was only kidding Merlin."_

_"Yeah I do. Hey shall we explore more of the village before Gaius makes us deliver any more potion or find some more herbs before the feast tonight that Gaius said we had to attend?"_ As we were Gaius's apprentices for the time being we were allowed to attend the feast considering that he was an honourable member of the Court.

_"Sure, I'll meet you at the entrance to the castle, okay?"_

_"Sure."_

~MAS~

Nearer the time for Lady Helen's performance a serving girl called Bronwen knocked on her door. Lady Helen herself answered it.

"Lady Helen," Bronwen curtsied. "Compliments of the King," she says, referring to a bowl of fruit in her hands.

"Come in."

Lady Helen sits at her vanity table and picks up an apple while Bronwen tidies up her room. "So sweet. How will I ever repay him?"

"When he hears you sing. Well, that will be more than enough won't it? I'm really looking forward to the performance," she catted to her very excitedly.

"So am I," Lady Helen agreed before taking a bite out of the apple.

"I love singing, you know. I sing all the time. My betrothed says I have the voice of a fallen angel." Bronwen removed the cloth over the mirror and saw Mary Collins's reflection. Realising she was in trouble and that there may be an imposter she went to leave but Lady Helen grabbed her hand, stopping her before draining her life from her.

~MAS~

Court members gather in the Banquet Hall along with Prince Arthur and his gang of knights. Then Gaius, Merlin and I enter. As Gaius is greeting fellow Court members Merlin and I notice Arthur joking with his mates.

" ...Merlin..." we hear, then "Sapphire..." as they laugh at something Arthur said. "...so I stood up and..." he feints a punch into one of his mate's stomach, they laugh. We see Arthur turn and do a double take at something so we turn in the direction of the entrance to see Lady Morgana enter in a beautiful maroon dress. All the men stare as she passes them.

"God have mercy," I heard Arthur say. I envy her looks. I was never anything special: the lightest blonde hair that you can ever imagine with a few curls near the bottom of my waist long hair; I used to have freckles over my noes; the lightest blue eyes and pale skin. I was about five foot five and had a very slim body but that was because I was naturally thin and it was not done by anything I did.

Even Merlin stared at Morgana as she passed us.

"Merlin," Gaius whisper warned him. "Remember, you're here to work."

"Oh, yeah," but he still continued to stare at her as Gaius walked away and as Arthur went over to talk to her.

I rolled my eyes and smiled at Gwen as she sidles up in between us. "She looks great, doesn't she?" Gwenievere asked us.

"Yeah," Merlin replied.

"Some people are just born to be queen."

"No!" Merlin turned to her. I think Merlin's got a crush. But I got the feeling that somehow she wasn't meant to be queen. I don't know why though.

"I hope so. One day. Not that I'd want to be her. Who'd want to marry Arthur?"

"Oh," I chuckled. "Come on, Gwen. I thought you liked those real rough, tough, save the world kind of men."

"No, I like much more ordinary men like you," she said but looked towards Merlin. I think Gwen's got a crush.

"Gwen, believe me, I'm not ordinary." I think they've forgotten I'm here.

"No, I didn't mean you, obviously. Not you. But just, you know, I like much more ordinary men like you."

"Thanks." They then turn away from each other awkwardly. I got a great show out of that but then I started talking to Gwen as we helped pour out glasses of wine to the Court members. I think I made a good friend out of her tonight.

~MAS~

Back in Lady Helen's chamber you will find her humming to herself at her vanity table, dressed in a beautiful expensive golden gown, before she leaves the room, walking past Bronwen's corpse.

~M~

Celebratory horns signal King Uther's entrance and everyone finds their place at the tables with the Royals at the front and the Court on two long tables going down the room next to the wall. Merlin and I were standing in the corner next to a window on the right hand side behind the Royals table.

Uther strides in with his golden crown on before he turns to face the Court."We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honour of introducing Lady Helen of Mora." Everybody claps and turns to see Lady Helen standing on a podium at the far end of the hall. The music begins and she begins to sing.

She had a great voice but I soon realised that I couldn't understand a word of it, it was like it was spoken in a different language.

We noticed all the court members and the royals soon begin nodding off to sleep and so press our hands over our ears to block the noise realising it must be a spell. Cobwebs begin forming over sleepers, walls, furniture, food, everything. I notice her staring at Arthur as she starts to walk forward. She pulls a dagger from her sleeve as she keeps walking towards him.

_"What do we do?" _Merlin asks me.

I magically drop the chandelier on her just as she raises her arm to throw the dagger causing her to fall to the fall, knocked out from the hit. It was the only thing I could think of that would stop her that quickly.

The Court members and the royals wake and pull the cobwebs off. Uther and Arthur stand up when they notice it's Mary Collins lying on the floor instead of Lady Helen. As Mary wakes she weakly raises herself up enough to throw the dagger at Arthur.

Merlin slows down time enough for us to reach Arthur and pull him out of harm's way. The dagger slices into Arthur's chair as we fall to the floor. Mary takes her last breath and dies.

As we stand up I can hardly believe that happened and that we saved Arthur. I just felt a pull towards him, like I knew automatically that I had to save him.

Uther and Arthur stare us before Uther comes over. "You both saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid."

"Oh, well..." Merlin stuttered.

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded."

"No, honestly."

"You don't have to, Your Highness," we really don't need a reward for this though I am quite curious as to what it could be.

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special."

"Well..." Merlin shrugged, changing his mind and now feeling pleased that he was getting rewarded by the King.

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant and maidservant."

The Court applauds from this outrageous and unfair reward!

"Father!" Arthur objects. Apparently, he thinks it wasn't the best reward as well.

I look over to see Gwen clapping for us with a pitying smile on her face.

Arthur, Merlin and I look away from each other, very unhappy with this new development.

~MAS~

A few minutes later and you'll find Merlin and I sitting at the small table in my room, staring at the table with disgruntled expressions on our faces.

I was just having a silent conversation with Merlin saying that perhaps he was right in wishing that his mother had never sent us to Camelot when Gaius came in carrying something that was hidden under a red cloth. "Seems you're both heroes."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Merlin asks him. We've been portrayed as idiots since we came here, what with the stupid incident when we first met Arthur and having to be put in the cells and then stocks because of it.

"No. I knew it from the moment I met you two. When you both saved my life, remember?"

"But...that was magic." Merlin protested.

Gaius nods in agreement. "And now, it seems, we finally found a use for it." It's seems they can now use their magic for saving Arthur.

"What do you mean?" I asked him. What use could does he think our magic possibly have?

"I saw how you both saved Arthur's life."

"Oh, no," we both disagreed.

"Perhaps that's its purpose," he carried on.

"Our destiny," I grumbled, thinking about what the Dragon said and the pull I felt towards Arthur.

Gaius then brought out the item he was carrying under his arm and handed it to us. "Indeed. This book was given to me when I was your age, but I have a feeling it will be of more use to you both than it was to me."

Merlin takes the book and unlocks the clamps holding it closed and opened it so we could both see the inside as he turned the pages of it. I could hardly believe what I was seeing and that Gaius was handing us this.

"This is a book of magic," I exclaimed in surprise and amazement to Gaius.

"Which is why you must keep it hidden." I only gave it to them so they could help save their new found charge and because I couldn't be found teaching them magic. I'd sworn to Uther never to practice magic again and if I didn't then I could stay and live here in Camelot. If I died what would happen to these two? They'd be killed the next day I'm sure so that's why I gave them the guidance this book offers.

"We will study every word," Merlin declared happily for the both of us. Gaius smiled, pleased, in response.

Someone knocking on door of the Physician's Chambers interrupts us from getting to read our first ever magic book straightaway.

It was a guard who spoke. "Merlin, Sapphire, Prince Arthur wants you right away."

"Your destiny's calling," Gaius said to us, he nodded to the door. "You'd better find out what he wants."

We grinned at him, thinking it may not be so bad living in Camelot if we get to learn magic. We left the book on the table for now and left to start our new jobs as Prince Arthur's manservant and maidservant, both of us looking forward to what the future may hold.


	4. Valiant: List of duties

Valiant: List of duties

In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy and girl. Their names: Merlin and Sapphire.

Very early in the morning will find Knight Valiant entering a shady merchants shop run by a bald man called Devlin. He knew if he could get the shield he wanted it could be his chance to win easily at the upcoming tournament at Camelot, even against the most famous swordsman of the land: Prince Arthur Pendragon. It will also allow him to win the gold that's delivered to the winner and maybe have a chance at winning the Lady Morgana's hand at marriage. He'd be the richest and one of the most powerful men in the land if he could get into Uther's good graces and one of the ways to do that would be to be a good swordsman. This will highlight him in the eyes of Uther and Uther might then offer him the chance to become one of his knights.

"I understand you have a shield for me," Valiant inquired.

Devlin, after making sure no one was looking motioned for Valiant to come behind the counter_. _"With your swordcraft and this shield, I guarantee you'll win."

"Show me how it works."

"Certainly," Devin grinned before turning to the shield. "Tharanai im bis entra ofra honra stolle." The green and yellow painted snakes with red eyes on the shield came to life and slithered half out of the shield_._ "When you're competing in the tournament, you pin your opponent under the shield, a snake strikes. Your opponent will be paralyzed." Devlin hands him the shield_._ "The snakes are now under your command. They will do anything that you tell them to do," he grinned in evil anticipation. He couldn't wait to see how his creation would help kill in the upcoming tournament.

"Anything?"

"Just say the word."

They both laugh maliciously before Valiant schools his expression_. "_Kill him."

A snake darts out from the shield and strikes Devlin, killing him_. _That's a good strike. He'll definitely win.

~MAS~

Valiant rides for Camelot and places his helmet and seal (a miniature version of his shield) on the registration table.

"Knight Valiant of the Western Isles. I'm here for the tournament."

"Welcome to Camelot," the Steward sitting at the registration table says. This is where it begins.

~MAS~

It's our first day as Arthur's manservant and maidservant. We're outside on the castle ramparts with Arthur dressed in his standard armour sans helmet. We have to help Arthur train for an upcoming tournament that's coming up where knights all over the realm will compete and fight against each other. Last man standing is the winner.

I was sitting on a bench watching as Arthur and Merlin got ready to practice. Merlin could barely stand up with all of his practice armour and helmet on.

"Ready?" Arthur asked him, though he didn't sound very concerned for my best friend.

"Would it make any difference if I said no?"

"Not really," Merlin draws his sword and Arthur attacks_. _"Body. Shield. Body. Shield." Arthur called out his movements as he made them, with Merlin barely blocking them in time.

"Shield."

"Head."

"Head?" Merlin asked, seconds before he got hit in the head. "Ow."

"Come on, Merlin. You're not even trying."

Arthur takes a quick tag to Merlin on his back.

"Ow! I am."

"Once more."

"Oh, no," I laughed, it was funny watching them.

"To the left. To the right. And left. Head."

"Ow!"

"Come on, Merlin! I've got a tournament to win."

"Can we stop now, please? Why can't you use Sapphy instead?"

"Hmmm, that's not a bad idea since you can't seem to do anything right. Sapphire take his armour off on put it on yourself." Let's see if she can do anything better then this useless manservant.

"You've got to be kidding me!" He expects me to get battered and bruised? No thank you!

"Now."

As quick as I could I helped Merlin out of his armour and then he helped put it on me. The moment my helmet was on I almost tumbled to the ground as the armour was ridiculously heavy.

"Shield. Body. Shield. Body." Arthur called once I'd gotten my footing. I was blocking the moves a little better than Merlin did but only just. "Not bad most servants collapse under the first blow. You're definitely better at this then Merlin. I think I'll use you for this more often."

"Is it over?" I asked him, feeling slightly dizzy.

"That was just the warm up. How's your mace work coming along?" Arthur swings a mace over his head.

I sigh and Merlin just hands me a mace. Beginning some more training.

~MAS~

A while later we get to leave after being told to polish the armour. We carry it and stumble our way into the physicians chambers.

Gaius chuckled as he saw us. "So, how was your first day as Arthur's servants?"

Merlin taps his head. "Do you hear clanging?"

We sit at the table where Gaius massages Merlin's shoulders.

"Ah! It was horrible and we've still got to learn all about tournament etiquette by the morning. Onhríne achtung bregdan!"

After he casts the spell that we learnt from our new magic book, a book slides to Merlin on the table and opens up.

"Oi!" Gaius slaps the back of Merlin's head_._ "What've I told you two about using magic like this?" He was pleased that they were learning how to control their magic but if the King say came in then what would happen? He would prefer it if they only use it to save their new found destiny, as Sapphire called Arthur the other night.

"If I could actually feel my arms, I'd pick up the book myself."

"Never mind your arms. What do I do if you two get caught?"

"What would you do?" I asked him, curious. Mother did say he'd protect us but we haven't been in Camelot long enough to call us being in a close family relationship.

"Well, you just make sure it doesn't happen, for all three of our sakes." Gaius goes back to treating Merlin's shoulders. Arthur needs all the protection he can get while he's training to become king. He was sure that there would be dangers along the way.

"We save Arthur from being killed and we end up as his servants. How is that fair?" Merlin wined. When Uther said they'd be rewarded he'd thought it might have meant money or something like that. Becoming Arthur's servants was not on their agenda when they came to Camelot.

"I'm not sure fairness comes into it. You never know, it might be fun."

I scoff at that. "You think mucking out Arthur's horses is going to be fun? You should hear our list of duties." We'd only just started being servants (never having been one before) and he expects us to complete our chores by the end of the next day? It's a good job Merlin's here with me because that way at least we can share the work load but it will still take a long time to complete.

I think the only reason we've still decided to be Arthur's servant is because it's a job and we've got to survive some how in Camelot. We can't just let Gaius spend all his money on us as that wouldn't be fair to him. He'd given us somewhere to stay the least we could do was to help him out a bit. Merlin and I agreed that he would be the one that helps clean the room and I would be the one to help Gaius with his potion making.

"We all have our duties. Even Arthur." He has to look after the land and protect it's people, help Uther with making peace treaties and keep an update on the lives of the villagers around Camelot.

"It must be so tough for him with all the girls and the glory," Merlin remarked. He's got to keep in shape and become a good knight to help protect his people. That must put him in the spotlight all the time so his presentation probably has to be perfect every day. We haven't seen much of that. Just three days ago they'd seen him bulling his own servant. He was not making the best impression on them in fact they both thought Arthur to be a prat.

"He is a future king. People expect so much of him. He's under a lot of pressure." He presses hard on Merlin's arm.

"Ah! That makes two of us." That looked really painful. I hope he doesn't do that for me but then he did.

~MAS~

Gwen said she could help us with learning how to put on Arthur's armour for us. We were in her house in the upper quarter of the city right now.

She decided the best way to teach us would be to actually show us how to put it on ourselves and then label all the material which she was doing write now. "So, you've got voiders on the arms."

"Mmhhmmm," Merlin agreed. 'Voiders on the arms', he repeated in his head.

"The hauberk goes over your chest."

"The chest. The arms. The chest."

"I guess you both know what to do with the helmet."

"Erm, yeah. Yeah, that was the only bit we'd figured out." Gwen and I giggled at that.

Merlin puts the helmet on. "How come you're so much better at this than us?"

"I'm the blacksmith's daughter," she'd already told me that last night. I'd forgotten to tell Merlin in return. "I know pretty much everything there is to know about armour, which is actually kind of sad." Being a maid to the Lady Morgana is the only other thing she knew a lot about. Her father was a Blacksmith so she grew up around swords and armour which was usually not how ladies are brought up. She was still brought up in manners but she knew how to fight if the time arose and she knew how to make armour and weapons which was not the occupation most women had.

"No, it's brilliant!" It really was, without Gwen we wouldn't even have a clue on how to put on Arthur's armour.

~MAS~

It's later on in the day and we we're struggling to get the vambrace on Arthur's lower arm. It's at a really awkward angle.

"You do know the tournament starts today?" Arthur asks us in. He was feeling very annoyed by his two new servants. At least the old could put on his armour faster then this.

"Yes, Sire," we both replied annoyed.

"You nervous?" Merlin asked him.

"I don't get nervous."

"Really? I thought everyone got nervous." Can't Merlin see he's just winding Arthur up.

"Will you shut up!" Well, now he knows.

I grab Arthur's red cape with a golden dragon on and tie it on him before Merlin hands Arthur his helmet.

"Great, yeah. I think you're all set," Merlin remarked, looking at our work.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" What are we forgetting? "My sword." Oops.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, sorry. Guess, uh, you'll be needing that."

Arthur snatches the sword and stalks off.

"That went well," Merlin muttered to me. I can't believe we forgot his sword. It was the weapon they needed to fight with. If he didn't have his sword he'd be dead in the first round which wouldn't be good for the kingdom since he was the only heir to the kingdom.

~MAS~

We headed over to the tournament grounds, peeking out behind the entrance to see Uther strutting past the front of two lines of knights.

"Knights of the realm, it's a great honour to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur." Arthur's one his competition since he first entered it and he hasn't lost since. "Only one can have the honour of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of 1,000 gold pieces." that should make the knights feel more energised and ready to win the competition. It will also make this competition more exciting to watch.

A servant opens a box revealing the gold pieces.

"It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. The tournament begins!"

The crowd cheers and the knights exit the arena. Uther stops by Arthur on his way to the stands and speaks to him in a low voice. "I trust you will make me proud." He's done so in past tournaments but who's to say this one will be the same. He was hoping Arthur was using his time training wisely and was constantly improving with the techniques he learns and practices with each weapon. Uther slaps his back before he leaves to sit in the Royal box. Lady Morgana was sitting on a smaller throne on his right along with Gwen, who was next to her but sitting right next to the Royal box.

Guards step forward to take Arthur and the other knight's capes, and they put on their helmets. The crowd cheers and Guinevere whoops. Arthur and the knight begins to fight.

"Yeah! Come on!" Merlin encouraged Arthur. We've never seen a fight before and this was really thrilling. We've never had much going on in Ealdor. The most unusual thing that's happened to the village is our magic, though none of the villagers except Will and Hunith now about it.

Arthur won and the crowd cheered. So did Merlin, "Yeah!"

A knight called Valiant then wins his bout.

Arthur, Merlin and I watch one of his fights.

"Knight Valiant looks pretty handy with a sword," Merlin remarked to us.

Valiant exits the arena and stops in front of us. "May I offer my congratulations on your victories today?" He asked Arthur.

"Likewise," Arthur replied.

"I hope to see you at the reception this evening." Valiant then walked of with his servant.

"Creep," I was referring to Valiant. I didn't like him. Not one bit.

Arthur snorted.

I laughed. We've never gotten Arthur to show such emotion before. All he's ever been so far is very displeased.

He cleared his throat embarrassed. "Uh, for tomorrow you need to repair my shield, wash my tunic, clean my boots, sharpen my sword, and polish my chainmail," Arthur then ordered as while he walked away.

_"That's so not fair,"_ I whined to Merlin. He completely agreed.

~MAS~

All of the tasks that he Arthur listed for us are magically being done while we read the magic book in my bedroom (sitting next to each other on the small bed). Gaius enters and all of the objects drop to the floor.

"Are you using magic again?" he asks us.

"No."

"What's all this, then?" he motions with his hand to all the armour on the floor.

Merlin and I shrug like we don't know what just happened.

"I just came to tell you that supper's ready." We breathed a sigh of relief when Gaius left. He was checking in on us a lot and was making sure we weren't being too obvious when we were practicing magic like we were just now.

I know he was just protecting us like Hunith asked of him but we did have to learn how to control our magic because otherwise how would we be able to protect Arthur the next time he's in danger?

~MAS~

The tournament knights queue up to meet Uther and Lady Morgana.

"Knight Valiant of the Western Isles, My Lord." Valiant introduced himself when it was his turn in front of the King.

"I saw you fighting today. You have a very aggressive style." He was very impressed with what he saw from Knight Valiant so far.

"Well, as My Lord said, "To lose is to be disgraced."

"I couldn't agree more. Knight Valiant, may I present the Lady Morgana, my ward."

Valiant bows to kiss Morgana's hand while Arthur looks on with a wry grin. "My Lady."

"I saw you competing today," Morgana smiled warmly at him. He was a very handsome man and he was a brilliant fighter.

"I saw you watching. I understand the tournament champion has the honour of escorting My Lady to the feast."

"That's correct."

"Then I will give everything to win the tournament." She smiles and nods to him, he nods back_. _"My Lady."

Valiant then walks over to shake hands with other knights, Morgana and Guinevere watch him. Arthur was next in line and bowed to his father.

"Arthur."

"Father," Arthur greeted him respectfully back with a bow of his head.

Arthur looks over at Valiant before walking to Morgana.

"They all seem rather impressed by Knight Valiant," Morgana stated with a smile. She was trying to rile Arthur up, she always got great pleasure of it when she managed that.

"They're not the only ones."

"You're not jealous, are you?" It would be very funny if it were. She always did like to tease Arthur a lot. She got great pleasure from it. He would always then make a fool of himself.

"I don't see there's anything to be jealous of." They'd tried to see if anything romantic could arise between them a few years ago and they realised they were more in the brother and sister relationship.

Morgana's smile fades as Arthur walks on.

"Could Arthur be any more annoying?" Morgana asks Gwen in a low voice. "I so hope Knight Valiant wins the tournament." It would be good to bring Arthur's ridiculously large ego down quite a bit which it certainly will if he looses the tournament.

"You don't really mean that." Every citizen of Camelot wants their Prince to win. How can Morgana not?

"Yes, I do," she replied back seriously.

~MAS~

Merlin was in the Armoury when heard a hissing sound. "Hello? Is there someone there?"

Merlin then finds Valiant's shield and sees one of the snake eyes blink. He moves to touch it when someone puts a sword to his chest. Merlin slowly gets up.

"Can I help you with something, boy?" Valiant asked him quietly.

"Nope. I'm good. I, I was just... I was, erm, gathering my master's armour."

"Then you'd best be on your way," he replied with a hint of a threat in his voice.

"Right, yeah. No problem."

Merlin picks up the armour and stumbles on his way out because he wasn't looking where he was putting his feet..

~MAS~

Arthur's armour is laid out on the table and Arthur enters, dressed in his gambeson. "You did all this on your own?" he asks, looking between us.

"Yes, Sire," we both replied.

"Now let's see if you can get me into it without forgetting anything."

We put on Arthur's hauberk and surcoat, followed by the gorget, vambraces, pauldron, and couter. Next, his mail coif, belt, sword belt, dagger, and sword. Merlin hands Arthur his helmet.

"That was much better." I think that was our first bit of praise from him. "Not that it could have got any worse."

"We're fast learners."

"I hope, for you sake, that's true."

"Good luck," we both wished him.

~MAS~

Arthur marches into the arena and acknowledges the crowd while we watch him from the entrance.

Gaius appears behind us making us jump in surprise. "Is it my imagination, or are you both beginning to enjoy yourselves?"

"It..." Merlin sighed.

"It isn't totally horrible all the time," I answered Gaius, it was what we both thinking. We thought it was going to be horrible having to serve Arthur. We both thought that nobility were all pompous arses and only thought about themselves and we still do but if we stay in Camelot it would be a fun experience getting to see all the tournaments.

Arthur fights his opponent.

"Yes!" we both clap for him when he wins yet another round.

Valiant fights against Sir Ewan in the arena. He knocks down Sir Ewan, whose helm rolls off. Valiant pins him down with his shield. "Strike him," Valiant ordered the snakes.

A serpent comes out of the shield and strikes Sir Ewan in the neck, causing Sir Ewan to fall unconscious.

Valiant stands up and the crowd cheers. Arthur, Merlin and I see Sir Ewan lying motionless on the ground.

"I think he's badly hurt," I remarked to both of them. His face certainly showed that he was in pain.

Gaius entered the arena with his medical bag.


End file.
